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    Home»Fruits»Facts about Farkleberry – Vaccinium arboreum
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    Facts about Farkleberry – Vaccinium arboreum

    By SylviaAugust 6, 2020Updated:August 6, 2020No Comments8 Mins Read
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    Farkleberry Quick Facts
    Name: Farkleberry
    Scientific Name: Vaccinium arboreum
    Origin Central Florida westward to central Oklahoma, southeastern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and the Edwards Plateau of Texas
    Colors Initially green and slowly turn darker until they are a deep blue to black
    Shapes Black, lustrous, globose berry 0.2 to 0.4 inch (5-9 mm) in diameter.
    Flesh colors Dry, hard, and mealy
    Taste Sweet to sour
    Health benefits Beneficial for diarrhea, dysentery, sore throats, chronic ophthalmia, leucorrhoea and many more
    Vaccinium arboretum commonly known as Farkleberry is a large, much-branched tree belonging to Ericaceae (Heath family).  Historically Farkleberries cousins include blueberry, bilberry, huckleberries and more distantly cranberries.  Other medicinal plants in this family include uva ursi and madrone.  All of these plants tend to have astringency. The plant is native to central Florida westward to central Oklahoma, southeastern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and the Edwards Plateau of Texas. It extends northward to southern Illinois, southern Indiana, and Virginia. Farkleberry, Sparkleberry, Winter huckleberry, Tree sparkleberry, Tree-huckleberry, tree whortleberry, winter whortleberry and Missouri farkleberry are few of the well-known common names of the plant. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. The tree usually flowers abundantly and is sometimes grown as an ornamental.

    The species name, arboreum, stems from the Latin root “arbor,” meaning “a tree,” because it is the only North American member of the Vaccinium genus that reaches a size comparable to that of a tree. The common name sparkleberry began to show up in the literature by 1891 and was given to the plant because of its rather shiny berries. The common name farkleberry is supposed to be a misinterpretation of the word sparkleberry.

    Farkleberry Facts

    Name Farkleberry
    Scientific Name Vaccinium arboreum
    Native Central Florida westward to central Oklahoma, southeastern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and the Edwards Plateau of Texas. It extends northward to southern Illinois, southern Indiana, and Virginia
    Common Names Farkleberry, Sparkleberry, Winter huckleberry, Tree sparkleberry, Tree-huckleberry, tree whortleberry, winter whortleberry, Missouri farkleberry
    Name in Other Languages English: Farkleberry, Sparkleberry, Winter huckleberry, Tree sparkleberry, Tree-huckleberry, tree whortleberry, winter whortleberry, Missouri farkleberry,
    French: Airelle en arbre, myrtillier en arbre
    German: Schweinsbeere
    Italian: Mirtillo arboreo
    Plant Growth Habit Large, stiff-branched, evergreen or persistent-leaved, upright shrub or small tree
    Growing Climates Grows on sand dunes, hammocks, granitic outcrops, dry sterile hillsides, rocky woods, abandoned fields, meadows, wet bottomlands, along creek banks, coastal plain, in Piedmont, Moist sandy soils by ponds and streams, stream banks, bluffs, rocky ledges, rocky canyons, rocky ravines, rocky bluffs, sandstone glades, barren upland savannas, sand dunes, sandy savannas, pinelands, thickets, clearings, fields, coastal scrub forests, wooded streams
    Soil Found growing on moist, acid, sandy, well-drained soils
    Plant Size 3–5 m (7.5-12.5 feet) rarely 9 m) (22.5 feet) tall, with a diameter at breast height of up to 35 cm (14 inches)
    Bark Outer bark is gray to grayish-brown, thin, and smooth, with narrow ridges
    Twigs Slender, rigid twigs are reddish-brown to reddish-green or gray, and glaucous, glabrous, or glandular-pubescent
    Leaf Simple, alternate leaves are coriaceous, glabrous, and lustrous above. The lower surface is glaucous, duller green, and often glandular-pubescent.  Leaves are obovate to elliptic, approximately 1 to 3 inches (3-8 cm) in length with entire or obscurely denticulate margins
    Flowering season July to August
    Flower Showy, white to pinkish flowers of farkleberry grow in abundance.  The perfect flowers are borne in leafy-bracted racemes or panicles that average 0.8 to 2.7 inches (2-7 cm) in length
    Fruit Shape & Size Black, lustrous, globose berry 0.2 to 0.4 inch (5-9 mm) in diameter. Berries are sweet but dry, hard, and mealy
    Fruit Color Initially green and slowly turn darker until they are a deep blue to black
    Propagation By seed, also propagated by softwood and hardwood cuttings
    Seed 8 to 10 stony, shiny, black to golden-brown seeds.  The variously-shaped, deeply pitted seeds average 0.08 inch (2 mm) in length
    Taste Sweet to sour in taste
    Season September to October

    Plant Description

    Farkleberry is a large, stiff-branched, evergreen or persistent-leaved, upright shrub or small tree that normally grows about 3–5 m (7.5-12.5 feet) tall, with a diameter at breast height of up to 35 cm (14 inches).  However, on favorable sites, plants may grow to 33 feet (10 m) with a d.b.h. of up to 14 inches (35 cm).  Record trees have been measured at 64 feet (19 m) in height with circumferences of up to 116 inches (45.9 cm).  Farkleberry is the only member of the Vaccinium genus to reach tree size.  The plant is found growing on sand dunes, hammocks, granitic outcrops, dry sterile hillsides, rocky woods, abandoned fields, meadows, wet bottomlands, along creek banks, coastal plain, in piedmont, moist sandy soils by ponds and streams, stream banks, bluffs, rocky ledges, rocky canyons, rocky ravines, rocky bluffs, sandstone glades, barren upland savannas, sand dunes, sandy savannas, pine lands, thickets, clearings, fields, coastal scrub forests and wooded streams. The plant prefers moist, acid, sandy and well-drained soils.

    Trunk

    The trunk bark is brown, gray, or red, or some combination these colors; it is thin and susceptible to shredding. Branches and older twigs are gray and relatively smooth, while young twigs are reddish brown. Branches and twigs of this shrub are often bent. Young shoots are light green to reddish green and usually pubescent, otherwise they are glabrous. The wood is brown to reddish-brown, fine-grained, tough and hard.  Wood weighs an average of 48 pounds per cubic foot (112 kg/cu m).  It was previously used to make various tool handles and craft items.

    Leaves

    Leaves are deciduous but can exhibit more evergreen characteristics in the warmer climates of its southern range. Leaves of farkleberry are variable in size, shape, and persistence. The simple, alternate leaves occur along the young twigs and shoots. These leaves are 1-3 inches in length and ½-1½ inches across, and somewhat leathery in texture. They are ovate, obovate, or broadly elliptic in shape, while their margins are smooth (entire) or minutely serrated. The leaf tips are either rounded or taper abruptly to blunt points, while the leaf bases are usually wedge-shaped. Leaf venation is pinnate; the secondary veins are widely separated and relatively sparse across the leaf surface. The upper leaf surface is medium green, glabrous, and somewhat shiny, while the lower leaf surface is pale green and glabrous to finely pubescent (fine hairs are most likely to occur along the central veins of the leaves). The leaves often become red or purplish red during the winter.

    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics Broad leaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color Green, Red/Burgundy
    Leaf Feel Glossy, Leathery
    Leaf Value To Gardener Showy
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color Red/Burgundy
    Leaf Type Simple
    Leaf Arrangement Alternate
    Leaf Shape Elliptical
    Leaf Margin Entire
    Hairs Present Yes
    Leaf Length 1-3 inches
    Leaf Width 1-3 inches

     

    Farkleberry Image Gallery
    Bark-of-Farkleberry-tree Bark-of-Farkleberry-tree
    Dried-berries-of-Farkleberry Dried-berries-of-Farkleberry
    Farkleberry Farkleberry
    Flowering-buds-of-Farkleberry Flowering-buds-of-Farkleberry
    Flowers-of-Farkleberry Flowers-of-Farkleberry
    Leaves-of-Farkleberry Leaves-of-Farkleberry
    Mature-fruits-of-Farkleberry Mature-fruits-of-Farkleberry
    Plant-Illustration-of-Farkleberry Plant-Illustration-of-Farkleberry
    Sketch-of-Farkleberry Sketch-of-Farkleberry
    Trunk-of-Farkleberry-tree Trunk-of-Farkleberry-tree
    Unripe-fruits-of-Farkleberry Unripe-fruits-of-Farkleberry
    Ventral-view-of-leaves-of-Farkleberry Ventral-view-of-leaves-of-Farkleberry

    Flowers

    The showy, white to pinkish flowers of farkleberry grow in abundance.  The perfect flowers are borne in leafy-bracted racemes or panicles that average 0.8 to 2.7 inches (2-7 cm) in length. Inflorescences typically occur on second year growth. The central stalks of these racemes are light green and finely pubescent, while the pedicels are about ½ inches long, light green, and glabrous. Each flower is about ¼ inches long and similarly across, consisting of a short calyx with 5 broad teeth. Bell-shaped corolla is nearly globoid in shape, 10 inserted stamens, and a pistil with a single style. The calyx is light green and glabrous, while the corolla is usually white (less often pinkish white). The corolla also has 5 small lobes along its outer rim that are recurved. In addition to the flowers, the racemes have leafy to scale-like bracts that are less than 1 inch in length. The blooming period occurs from July to August for about 3 weeks.

    Flower Color White
    Flower Inflorescence Raceme
    Flower Value To Gardener: Fragrant
    Flower Bloom Time Spring

    Summer

    Flower Shape Bell
    Flower Size < 1 inch

     

    Fruits

    Later, fertile flowers are replaced by lustrous, globoid berries about 0.2 to 0.4 inch (5-9 mm) in diameter at maturity during the late summer or fall. Fruits are initially green turning to black and shiny berries when ripe, often persisting into the winter. The interior of the berries is mealy and dry, varying in flavor from bitter to sweet. Each berry consists of 8- 10 seeds. The seeds are stony, shiny, and black to golden brown colored. The variously-shaped, deeply pitted seeds average 0.08 inch (2 mm) in length.

    Fruit Color

     

    Black

    Purple/Lavender

    Fruit Value To Gardener

     

    Showy
    Display/Harvest Time Fall
    Fruit Type Berry
    Fruit Length < 1 inch
    Fruit Width < 1 inch

     

    Traditional uses and benefits of Farkleberry

    • Berries, root-bark and leaves are very astringent and have been used internally in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery etc.
    • The infusion is valuable in treating sore throats, chronic ophthalmia, leucorrhoea etc.
    • Extracts obtained from roots were traditionally used to treat diarrhea.
    • Extracts of the leaves have been used to treat sore throats and loose stools.
    • Juice from berries has also been used to treat recurring cases of dysentery.

    Other Facts

    • Plant is said to be an excellent root stock for ‘Rabbiteye’ blueberries.
    • Tannin is obtained from the bark and root.
    • Wood is heavy, hard, very close grained and is used for making tool handles and other small articles.
    • Farkleberry bark was formerly used in tanning leathers.
    • Berries of farkleberry are inedible to humans.
    • Flowers are a good source of nectar for foraging honey bees.
    • Record trees have been measured at 64 feet (19 m) in height with circumferences of up to 116 inches (45.9 cm).
    • The wood has been used for tobacco pipes, woodenware, and novelties.

    Culinary Uses

    • Fruit can be consumed raw or cooked, it is dry and slightly astringent but with a pleasant flavor.
    • Historically the berries were used in pies and jellies.

    References:

    https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=23580#null

    https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=40984

    https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Vaccinium+arboreum

    https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/VACAR

    https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=VAAR

    https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/vacarb/all.html

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccinium_arboreum

    https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=vaar

    https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr320

    http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/tro-12302743

    https://www.augustaga.gov/1634/Sparkleberry

    https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/55997

    https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/31655/#b

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    Farkleberry Scientific Classification

    Scientific Name: Vaccinium arboreum

    Rank Scientific Name & (Common Name)
    Kingdom Plantae (Plants)
    Subkingdom Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)
    Infrakingdom Streptophyta  (land plants)
    Super Division Spermatophyta (Seed plants)
    Division Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
    Sub Division Spermatophytina  (spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames)
    Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
    Sub Class Dilleniidae
    Super Order Asteranae
    Order Ericales
    Family Ericaceae (Heath family)
    Genus Vaccinium L. (blueberry)
    Species Vaccinium arboreum Marshall (farkleberry
    Synonyms
    • Batodendron andrachniforme Small
    • Batodendron arboreum (Marsh.) Nutt.
    • Batodendron glaucescens Greene
    • Vaccinium arboreum var. arboreum
    • Vaccinium arboreum var. glaucescens (Greene) Sarg.
    • Vaccinium diffusum Ait.
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